Yesterday, July 9th, marked Kadima’s 48th anniversary and what we lovingly refer to as Kadima Founders Day. 🎉 And in honor of Founders day, we’d like to share a piece R’David wrote last year (as he is out until the end of July) that speaks to our amazing Kadima History:
“In the beginning...Jewish radicals created Kadima." (Kadima 1:1)
The year was 1978, and the world was increasing in neo-nazism and authoritarianism, and Jews said "Let there be liberation." And there was liberation.
Beginning as the Jewish Liberation Alliance, Kadima held its first event on July 9th, 1978 as a rally in solidarity with the community of Skokie, IL who was (almost) marched on by nazi party members. About the march on its 40th anniversary, Jewish Currents wrote: "Archival documentation tells a more complex story of massive counter-demonstrations, black and Jewish solidarity, Holocaust survivors who vowed to confront the Nazis in the streets, and a grassroots battle between a small collective of proud, leftist Jews and the conservative institutional leadership of the Jewish community."
The year was 1978, and the world was increasing in neo-nazism and authoritarianism, and Jews said "Let there be liberation." And there was liberation.
Beginning as the Jewish Liberation Alliance, Kadima held its first event on July 9th, 1978 as a rally in solidarity with the community of Skokie, IL who was (almost) marched on by nazi party members. About the march on its 40th anniversary, Jewish Currents wrote: "Archival documentation tells a more complex story of massive counter-demonstrations, black and Jewish solidarity, Holocaust survivors who vowed to confront the Nazis in the streets, and a grassroots battle between a small collective of proud, leftist Jews and the conservative institutional leadership of the Jewish community."
Kadima is very proud of our legacy and strives to continue this fight. Each July 9th, we are offered the opportunity to mark an everyday practice of furthering our collective legacy towards liberation.
May our founders be blessed. May those who have sustained Kadima and created in its image be blessed. May those who are being raised in Kadima be blessed. May those carrying on Kadima be blessed. May those innovating and evolving Kadima be blessed. May those we've lost along the way be remembered as a blessing and may peace be upon them. And may we continue to pursue justice in health, connection, solidarity, and joy.
In love & solidarity, Shabbat Shalom,
Kadima Staff & Board
May our founders be blessed. May those who have sustained Kadima and created in its image be blessed. May those who are being raised in Kadima be blessed. May those carrying on Kadima be blessed. May those innovating and evolving Kadima be blessed. May those we've lost along the way be remembered as a blessing and may peace be upon them. And may we continue to pursue justice in health, connection, solidarity, and joy.
In love & solidarity, Shabbat Shalom,
Kadima Staff & Board
Learn more about Kadima’s history:
- “Kadima is Founded in 1978” - HistoryLink
- “Counter-march and demonstration in Seattle through Pioneer Square in response to Nazi march in Skokie, Illinois, July 9, 1978” - UW Libraries
- “The Skokie March That Wasn’t” - Jewish Currents
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